


Time machine

by Phoenixthedutxhie



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety Attacks, Donut trying not to make innuendos, M/M, caboose can portal jump, donut has wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:54:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29157732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenixthedutxhie/pseuds/Phoenixthedutxhie
Summary: “Caboose, how are you doing this.” He muttered and faced caboose. His brown hair was being ruffled by a breeze that wasn’t there. Caboose had a big smile on his face his eyes wee shining in the bright blue light.“I don’t know it just happens.”
Relationships: Michael J. Caboose/Franklin Delano Donut
Kudos: 5





	1. Free flowing temporally

**Author's Note:**

> Just look  
> Oh look at what you’ve done now to me  
> Free flowing temporally  
> I’m leaving today
> 
> Today

Donut was probably the only one who knew about cabooses anxiety. Caboose had made him promise not to tell anyone. Donut always had wondered why he had told him especially when it was only within the first few weeks they met.he remembered when he was “captured” by the blues again and was hanging out with caboose.  
“Ok admiral buttercrust truth or dare.”  
“Hmm truth”  
“What is the biggest secret on red team?”  
“Oh that’s a good one well grif really likes Simmons. He is just way to anxious to admit it. He just pretends to be laidback but he’s not.it’s quite funny I’m sure he’s going to ask him out one of these days.”  
“What do you mean by Anxious?”  
“Oh well uh... it’s basically a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, usually about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. But sometimes it can just build up and become too much and you get anxiety attack those are not fun.”  
“Oh so that’s what that is.” Donut remembered flinching at that statement.  
“What do you mean.”  
“I sometimes get stressed out a lot but it’s fine I’m ok I can deal with it by myself.” He said with a sound of false hope in his voice. Donut felt bad for him. He wanted to make sure he was ok.  
“Have you told anyone?”  
“No it would just upset church. Tucker probably wouldn’t care. But I’m ok professor cookie.” Donut brushed off one of caboose’s many pastry themed nicknames for him.  
“How do you relive the stress it’s not healthy to pent all that up.”  
“Oooh I have something to show you. It’s awesome!” Caboose quickly changed the subject and stood up and donut followed cabooses clapped his hands together a small spark of blue light appeared in his palms it flowed out of his hands and slowly formed a soft glowing ring around them donut stared in Amazement as the light slowly surrounded them.  
“Caboose, how are you doing this.” He muttered and faced caboose. His brown hair was being ruffled by a breeze that wasn’t there. Caboose had a big smile on his face his eyes wee shining in the bright blue light.  
“I don’t know it just happens.” He shrugged donut looked down seeing the floor was slowly giving away he Yelped and tried to stay on the solid ground he had looked up to ask caboose what was happening but his blue buddy was gone. The floor gave out under donut who screamed while squeezing his eyes shut and waited for the impact of ground against him. there was none but there was a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw caboose smiling. He looked around it was pitch black there was nothing.  
“Where are we?” Donut said shakily.  
“We’re almost there.” Caboose said with a smile donut looked down and saw several spots of light. He felt ground slowly form around under his feet. He glanced around and saw doorways of light. Caboose quickly looked at each one carefully before grabbing donuts hand and leading him into one. A bright light blinded him before he felt fur under his hand he rubbed his eyes and saw a giant blue fluffy dragon laying down next to him he jumped up and glanced around. The dragon chirped but he could somehow understand it.  
“Oh don’t worry it’s still me. We just went into another version.” He chirped.  
“Another version? Of what?”  
“Of us.”  
“Oh so you make portals to alternate universes!” Donut realized. Caboose thought for a second.  
“Yea I guess!” Donut went out and explored the area dragon caboose at his side it didn’t seem that different from theirs but he couldn’t find any of the reds around the. Base after a few hours of wandering around red base caboose glanced at the sun which was getting low in the sky “we should get going” he muttered With a quick wag of his tail another ring of blue light appeared. The floor gave away again and donut watched as caboose shifted back into himself.  
“Why are we leaving so soon?” Donut asked.  
“Church will get worried if I’m gone for to long and they told me not to let you out of the base until they come back.” Caboose had explained. Donut Nodded and caboose lead him to a single doorway that was glowing much brighter than the others in another blinding flash of light they were laying on top of the base in the same place they were in the other dimension. Donut sat up and glanced at the sun was still shining in it disturbingly bright fashion seemingly no time had passed since they left. That was the first time he witnessed caboose’s power donut realized this was his way of coping just to avoid what was bothering him. But After epsilon got trapped caboose had no escape and had an anxiety attack donut was the only one who knew about it and had talked him through it. And earlier today it seemed that caboose was on the verge of snapping.


	2. Fleeting in the mode of making memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now I know the nature of no urgency 
> 
> Now I know why now is never gone

“Put. It. Down.” The blue sim trooper growled staring the deity down. The others slowly began backing away wash and Carolina slowly raised their guns ready for anything donut was the only one who stayed stationary.  
“Or what?” The god showed a sickly smile thru their lost friend’s body. Caboose charged throwing himself on top of his possessed friend.  
“GIVE ME BACK CHURCH. GIVE HIM BACK!” He screamed landing blow after blow knowing he was causing Genkins pain. After about 3 hits Genkins pussied out and left the body he was possessing caboose wasn’t aware of this till the 8th punch when he got off and helped church up and led him to the base claiming it would all make more sense if he went back to sleep. Donut After explaining how to time travel to the others felt a wave of relief wash over him now that all the others well the versions of themselves who knew what was going on were gone. Donut was grateful caboose was the most understanding of the group. He immediately knew what to do to fix the timeline donut had been especially worried about how to explain it to caboose but luckily by some miracle he already knew. After fixing a few paradoxes of Tex succeeding at killing wash and the meta, church never finding out he was an ai and tuckers alien kid, Junior getting blown up by Andy. He decided to stop by the rendezvous. That meeting had not quite been what he was expecting. He hadn’t expected Tucker to compliment him. Carolina had given him a smile and a thumbs up. Sarge was pretty much par for the course. And grif seemed eager to get out of there as fast as possible to keep fixing things. It made him happy to see his friends working so hard to make this up to him. He smiled to himself taking note the sun was setting he turned on his heel and got himself ready to jump to the next alternate reality when he spotted a figure sitting on one of the cliff overhangs. He quickly spread is brand new long feathery white wings, (a gift chrovos gave him when they met. he hated them but they had their uses.) and took off. He circled the cliff for a second and saw his friend in bright blue armor curled up in a ball with his face buried in his knees. The outdated blue helmet casted aside laying in the dirt. Donut quickly glided down and landed next to the man and pulled his own helmet off. Caboose quickly sat up and hastily wiped his eyes with the base of his palm before cracking a weak smile.  
“O-oh hello donut.” He said nervously he took note of caboose’s ragged breathing.  
He was a little confused that caboose had chosen to use his real name rather than one of the many nicknames he came up with. Donut stared in cabooses eyes for a moment they were bloodshot he had clearly been crying and the smile caboose was attempting to hold was faltering. It made donut’s overly huge heart hurt. he sat down and scooted closer to the tall blue team member slowly placing an arm around his friend’s shoulder.  
“Please Don’t do that. it makes me sad.” He mumbled. Caboose looked worried  
“What? Are you ok?” Caboose asked nervously.  
“I’m fine, but it’s clear something is bothering you but when you pretend that your fine it makes me worry about you.” He slowly lowered his head on to his buddy’s shoulder making sure it didn’t make caboose uncomfortable. Caboose sighed. And donut could feel him shivering slightly. “Caboose do you want to tell me what’s wrong. I can understand if you don’t I know sometimes it feel like if you talk about it that instead of making the thought go away. it can just make it worse. If you don’t want to talk I can just sit with you.” Caboose just stared off into the distance and donut hesitantly removed his arm from around caboose. “Or if you just want some space I can go back down and you can come down when your ready.” Caboose’s hand shot out and caught donut’s shoulder so he wouldn’t leave.  
“Please don’t leave me too.” He whispered. Donut realized that this anxiety attack was sparked by church again.  
“I will stay as long as you want me to.” He said in response neatly folding those stupid wings of his together to sow he wasn’t going anywhere. Caboose shifted uncomfortably.  
“Can I give you a hug? Wash says I always need to ask to not freak anyone out.”  
Donut notes and caboose wrapped his arms around the significantly shorter man. They sat there for what felt like centuries. “I had do watch it happen again.” Caboose muttered. Donut knew he was talking about their final battle alongside church and he could now feel the tears falling onto his back. Caboose seemed scared to let go as if the moment he did donut would disappear and caboose would never see him again. He could feel Caboose’s nervousness probably because he thought he was holding on to long. Tucker and wash weren’t really touchy feely so any contact from caboose only lingered for a moment or to. Donut hugged him tighter and felt caboose relax more. He wasn’t going anywhere. Eventually caboose hesitantly let go but still kept a hand on donut’s arm. Still fearing if he’d let go another friend would dissolve right in front of him.  
“Did Huggins send you there?” Caboose nodded tears still streaming down his face.  
“It was an accident she was telling everyone where to go and what would fix the singularity the most and I had to watch it happen again.” He said attempting to keep his voice level. He could tell he was on the verge of breaking. Donut wrapped one of the fluffy wings he absolutely despised around caboose. He knew caboose loved anything soft and one of the only things donut liked about the wings was they were soft as hell. Caboose smiled weakly touching one of the feathers. He slowly took his hand off donut’s arm his finger still curled as if getting ready to pull him back if he started fading away. Donut stayed completely still. Cabooses breathing was getting deeper and more calm than it had been but donut could feel his head was still racing.  
“I’m not going anywhere buddy.” He whispered caboose nodded again and slid closer to donut who wrapped him in another hug. “I will always be here for you.” He murmured.


	3. You can make ever wait for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I avoid the messiness of misery
> 
> Playing in dimension number 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I was using season 17 for this but I skipped over quite about and only added in a few things sorry if it’s confusing but I’m 99% certain anyone reading this has already watched it and I’m not gonna waste precious story time by rewriting the entirety of episode 12 in season 17 if you haven’t seen it yet idk why your here get your ass over there and watch it but hope you guys enjoy

The sky was now dark and bright stars speckled the sky caboose had fallen asleep awhile ago but donut was still awake . He adjusted his posture and as gently as possible shifted caboose so he wasn’t putting all his weight against donut’s back. The end result was caboose was now partially on his lap and donut was trapped. He didn’t mind much he did promise he would stay with him for awhile. He smiled up at the sky recollecting all the memories they made together. One of his favorites wasn’t on an adventure but it was on Chorus. Simmons had decided he was going to teach grif how to cook he had chosen a simple recipe vegan burgers Donut wasn’t much of a fan of them but Simmons was one heck of a cook. Donut had insisted on making homemade buns since there wasn’t really a place to by anything. Caboose wanted to help donut so wash decided each of the freelancers of the group would supervise one of the groups Carolina went with Simmons and grif to start on the patties and wash supervised to make sure caboose and donut didn’t burn anything down. At one point while he and caboose were gathering ingredients donut had been carrying a cup of flour he and Wash had been talking so he was only half paying attention and he bumped right into caboose spilling flour all over him. Caboose had just given him a huge proud smile in response before throwing a handful of flour he had swiftly scooped up from off the counter at donut. Soon an all out war was being waged and Wash eventually had to call Carolina in to help break it up. Everything was coated in a thick layer of flour including them. They both had fat smiles on their faces as they were sent out to go change. Donut chuckled at the memory absentmindedly toying with Caboose’s hair as he leaned against the canyon wall. It wasn’t long before Donut passed out too. He woke up to someone tapping his shoulder. He quickly shook the dreariness off an glanced up. Caboose was sitting next to him.  
“Morning!” He said with a smile that was very real it made donut happy. Caboose’s mood could go from a full blown anxiety attack before taking a 180 and going right back to his joyful excited self when he had someone to vent to. Donut returned his smile. Caboose got up and offered his hand and heaved donut to his feet almost pulling him off balance. He heard someone calling his name donut glanced down the overhang he saw Tucker and Kai searching the bases and calling them.  
“We should probably head back. We gotta meet up with the others.” Donut stretched his arms out. Caboose nodded. They strolled down the path and waved as tucker jogged up to him.  
“Everyone else is in blue base their gonna fix the Last alternate reality.” Tucker said visible sadness in his eyes. Donut and caboose exchanged a glance no one was excited to watch their friend get shot again but they had to to fix time. Kai sidled up to Donut and they headed back to base. As they all jumped donut found he was in a different area it was awfully familiar he glared down the deity in front of him.  
“Why am I here?” He growled. He knew he should be by his friend’s side it was upsetting to everyone when wash got shot but he knew it effected Caboose the most. Wash was basically a second church to caboose he would never be as good as the real thing but caboose looked up to him for guidance and when he got shot in the neck it was like watching church for caboose. After a few minutes of yelling at Chrovos and wash finding out how to beat Genkins donut could feel something was very wrong. The clouds around him and chrovos began swirling and they darkened.  
“What’s happening?” He said nervously.  
“Their in the labyrinth this isn’t good.” Chrovos muttered. As she explained what it did donut got more and more nervous his friends were being tortured and he knew what would be happening with caboose he tried to think of a way to get to the labyrinth to save his friends when doc called out to him.  
“Uh.. I know you said to stay out of the way. But I just kinda appeared here when you did.” He explained donut found his way into the labyrinth and immediately began searching for caboose he knew the others could last much longer but if what he thought was happening to him was happening he had to bail his blue buddy out as fast as possible. He ran into Grif first and saw him hanging onto the edge of the platform he quickly darted over and pulled him up.  
“Donut. What is...” he panted donut hauled him to his feet.  
“I heard you needed to beat a guy off and I came as quickly as I could..” He said then realized his sentence. Grif didn’t seem to notice as the labyrinth began dissolving around them. He and doc explained what was going on and they split up. He began running thru the labyrinth trying to find which simulation Caboose was in. As he turned the corner he saw Genkins standing In front of one of the rooms. Donut stumbled and dove into the simulation next to him he saw tucker standing in the middle of the room staring at the black hole.  
“Hello?” He called. Tucker turned around. Something was wrong.  
“Oh hey Donut look, I defeated the labyrinth.” He declared proudly. Donut noticed he didn’t have his sword on him.  
“Oh. Yeah this illusion seems to be...off......say where’s your sword” he tightened his grip around his gun and narrowed his eyes. Tucker flinched and glanced around the room before spotting it laying on the ground.  
“Oh...uh...here it is!” He said nervously.  
“Can you turn it on for me.” Donut said taking a step forward. Tucker nervously laughed.  
“Why?” He said avoiding eye contact with donut. Donut raised his gun. Labyrinth Tucker did the same.  
“Because only Tucker can turn it on.” They stood still glaring each other down. Donut heard shots behind him and the illusion tucker fell to the ground. Doc, Wash, Grif, Kai, Sarge, and Simmons came running into the room.  
“Donut! Are you okay?” Doc asked. Donut nodded as the labyrinth shifted the illusion away donut spotted the real Tucker leaning against a wall. After making sure he was ok Donut was getting ready to sprint off to find Caboose. As wash was explaining they had to go find Carolina they heard a voice be hind them.  
“Hello!”  
Donut spun around Caboose was there his posture straight he was shaking slightly.  
“Heeeeeyyy.. caboose.” Wash said slowly turning around. Caboose shifted from foot to foot.  
“Hello. Yes we already said that.”  
“What did you see in there buddy?” Wash asked. Caboose flinched.  
“I think it was trying to make me hungry. But I didn’t let it make me hungry so yea I won.” His voice was cracking and donut was not buying it.  
“Caboose it was trying to kill you.” Tucker said. They got ready to face down what Carolina was afraid of caboose moved closer to donut. They entered the illusion and watched in awe as Carolina fought herself it was a little confusing but they would back their friend all the way. When Genkins came in to yell at the labyrinth Donut could feel Caboose jump and back up slightly from where they were cloaked. After Genkins threw himself into the labyrinth.  
“Ok are you guys ready to fix the last paradox?” Donut asked. caboose this time everyone could see something was wrong.  
“Caboose are you ok.” Carolina asked caboose’s eyes widened he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.  
“what did the labyrinth show you?” Tucker asked guessing that’s what was making him so nervous . At that moment Donut noticed a small crack in his armor in his right shoulder.  
“I...It...” caboose tried but when quiet  
“Tucker-“ donut started but was cut off.  
“Do you want to talk about it.” Wash asked Caboose took a step back he was shaking like a leaf. This wasn’t good he was in a state of panic donut had never seen before. He had been there thru some of his worse panic attacks but nothing this bad and his friends pressuring him into talking about it wasn’t helping.  
“Guys...stop.” He tried again no one heard him. They kept asking him what he saw and if he wanted to talk about it. Donut spotted a small streak of blue light erupt from Caboose’s foot. Everyone stopped. The light quickly surrounded him. Donut rushed forward hoping to catch him before he was gone. “Wait! Caboose, don’t!” He saw cabooses fear filled eyes and he was left to grab at empty space.


	4. Live the dream in a time machine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have time enough to spend some time alone
> 
> Time alone
> 
> I’m alone

Everyone stared in shock Wash turned to the labyrinth who threw his hands up defensively.  
“Hey I did not have any thing to do with that.” He said. Wash instead turned to Donut who based on his reaction seemed to know what was happening. Donut sighed.  
“He can dimension hop it also has a byproduct of teleportation and he will be back soon but I don’t know where in the alternate universes he is going so we better start looking.” He quickly summarized. Everyone looked confused.  
“What do you mean he can teleport.” Simmons asked. Donut rolled his eyes.  
“How did you Guys not notice this he wasn’t exactly keeping it a secret. He did it when we first met temple and he said he wasn’t church and apparently when we were separated on chorus while playing a game of capture the flag with you two..” he gestured at Grif and Simmons. “He decided to while you three were sneaking thru the facility and you didn’t notice at times he just kind of appears?” Donut asked.  
“Nope.” Carolina said.  
“Not a clue.” Tucker confirmed.  
“Come back to this later we have to go find him.” Grif shouted the Labyrinth AI teleported them to a nearby planet explaining the labyrinth only had one version expanded across all alternate realities so there was no way he would be there. The group split up and began searching the planet after several hours and multiple check ins that resulted in nothing donut spotted something, a small crack. A crack floating in mid air behind it was complete darkness. Donut stuck his hand through no pain nothing came after him. Without a second thought he walked into the rift.

——————————————————————————————————————————  
As donut stepped into the rift the world transformed into a black void he saw a figure curled up in the distance he ran toward it. It was caboose he was holding something. donut called out to him he froze but then relaxed. Donut decided to take a more gentle approach he sat down next to caboose noticing he was holding a small chain that held his 3 dog tags. The first read:

Michael J. Caboose  
If lost please return to Church.  
Donut remember when he was first deployed to Blood Gulch they found caboose was often accidentally wandering into their base even Sarge didn’t have the heart to shoot him so after several times of them returning him to his base Donut convinced Lopez to add on: if lost please return to church in case they ever got out of the canyon. The second tag on the chain read.

Michael J. Caboose   
If lost please return to Agent Washington   
After epsilon went with Carolina along with a new helmet wash gave him a new tag he didn’t get rid of the one from church but he was grateful and attached it to the chain any way. The last one read.

Michael J. Caboose   
If lost please return to the reds and blues.  
On chorus caboose would wander away and since the reds and blues were all spaced out on different assignments at different they just figured it you’ll be easier to have all of them available to take him not just Wash.  
Donut scooted closer to him and spread out one of his wings offering his shoulder to Caboose like he usually did when he was freaking out donut knew the best way to calm him down. Caboose leaned his head on him and donut wrapped his wing around the blue soldier. After what felt like an eternity of comfortable silence donut asked,  
“So...where are we?” He could see Caboose was spiraling replaying church’s last message in his mind over and over. He paused and looked up.  
“It’s the dark place.” Donut nodded he had heard about this. When he was looking for his suit that Grif, Tucker, and Simmons had buried when caboose got a panic attack. Donut was still searching for his armor he honestly didn’t care but everyone seemed uncomfortable while he found it hilarious. When he heard caboose was missing he knew he probably dimension hopped but there was no way to tell how the Time passes in the other universes so it was always a coin toss if he’d return immediately or in a couple days. But Caboose had mentioned this place before. It was quite and actually kind of calming. Donut exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.  
“Do you want to go back to the others?” Caboose put the dog tags he was holding into his pocket and he quietly shook his head. Donut paused and looked at the ground. “Do you want some space cuz I found a rif that brought me-“ caboose shook his head again before he could finish. Usually when he wanted donut to stay that meant he was having Another panic attack based of his friends dying or disappearing. Donut simply nodded and went quiet. After a while Caboose sighed.  
“I had to fight him...” he whispered moving his hand to touch the crack in he armor on his shoulder. Donut turned fo face him.  
“What?”  
“I had to fight Church...and....” he trailed off a tear streamed down his face. Donut nodded he hugged Caboose again. “I tried to find one where he was still alive. But I couldn’t.” He buried his face in donut’s neck and cried. They just sat there in silence. Time no longer existed they just sat in that moment until Caboose was ready to face the others again as they got ready to transport donut chuckled.  
“We should really see if we can find a robotic dog body for freckles so then you can have a therapy dog.” Caboose smiled blue light surrounded them and they were back. Their friends all caught sight of them immediately doc began checking for scars or injuries and the others just wanted to make sure they were ok Donut glanced at Caboose who was smiling again no trace of fear or panic on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sry I didn’t rly know how to end this and I’m posting it a few days early cuz it’s my YT channels bday

**Author's Note:**

> I am a raging pastry train and Grimmons shipper your gonna have to fight me if you have a problem with that
> 
> Also most of the anxiety attacks I give Caboose are based off my own anxiety experiences ik that talking about it is supposed to help but god damn it feels like if I talk about it it’s gonna be real. I decided it’d be very fitting to add into this fix so yea
> 
> And if you want to provide any feed back feel free to I always want to know what I can to to make the reader enjoy the story more


End file.
